British BAE (a defense contractor), on the brink of contracting Microsoft for their Office365 services, bailed out. Although MS had promised their data would be stored in the UK (Dublin data center), they could not exempt BAE, or actually themselves from the US Patriot Act, which basically forces any US based company, or any foreign company with a US office, to hand over any data about any client also forbidding to inform the client this information has been requested and turned over. No thanks, up yours.

And yes, of course this also holds for me writing this on a US based hosting service, my gmail, etc etc. And yours.

Added December 16: Europe is working Data Protection Directive, which seems to be a head-to-head with the US government, actually forbidding companies to share data about EU citizens. One rules seems to be that a company cannot requested directly to hand over data about a EU citizen, but that such a request should always be funneled through national law enforcement. My opinion: utter window dressing BS. 1) US law enforcement will easily arm twist the Microsofts and Googles of this world, especially when it’s about non US citizens. 2) National governments will easily be arm twisted to comply. In politics, everything is merchandise,